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In the past we have very much had the best walking GPS and also the best cycling GPS but over the past 12 months this has changed with many outdoor GPS units becoming ‘multi-activity’ with much of the technology on the cycling units (live tracking etc) cascading onto the outdoor devices. We have always had profiles on Garmin GPS units but over the past year these have become very prominent on the ‘new generation’ of Garmin units. Profiles enable you to change the way the outdoor GPS acts when you are doing different activities (i.e. walking, cycling, geocaching etc).

Research and understanding the Outdoor GPS options on the market is key. Over the past 12 months the rate of change of the outdoor GPS made for walking and cycling has changed out of all recognition. We get people who come on our GPS Training Courses who frankly have been sold the wrong GPS unit. They were wrongly advised in the shop (not from us I may add) and then they realise so once you point that the bargain they have been sold is 10 year old technology.

They then wish they had sought some advice first. GPS units are not cheap, so it does worry me when people have been sold an incorrect product. Advice is free and if you are reading this article you are doing you research so well done, it is time well spent. So here are my thoughts about the GPS units that are currently on the market which hopefully will answer the question – Which is the best walking GPS for me and my budget? By offering good independent GPS advice we are now the largest independent retailer of Outdoor GPS units in the UK so what have we learnt over the years?

Make of GPS Unit - Garmin, Memory Map or SatMap?

Here at GPS Training we sell all of the three main brands of GPS units – Garmin, Memory Map and SatMap. We also train people to use all of these different units (on separate courses I must add) and by a long way Garmin is the best brand. Being a large US company they are literally miles ahead of their competitors.

To compliment this over the past few years with the advent of free software (called Garmin BaseCamp) it enables you to transfer your mapping from your GPS to your PC, why look any further than Garmin. In the past you had to subscribe to OS or buy your computer mapping from Memory Map but that is all a thing of the past. Garmin now give you everything so you can plan routes on your PC or Mac and transfer these to your Garmin GPS. Alternatively, you can plan your routes directly on your GPS. Don't worry if you buy from GPS Training we train you to use your new GPS in with the price with free webinars (live seminars) and also 1 years free access to our 'online resource'.

Garmin GPS units are good products and with the great product support we offer here at GPS Training and affordable mapping they very easy to use. They have developed over years and products have got better and better. Also don't forget here at GPS Training if you buy from us we give you free technical support so you are not on hold 20 minutes on the Garmin technical support, call us instead and after 2 rings we will answer and our full-time technical support team will sort out any problems you have with the GPS you have bought from us.

You will see we also take trade in of old units so every day we speak to many people regarding their GPS experiences. With many of the other makes many people have just given up and are looking for the experience they initially sought and this they will get from Garmin.

GPS Screen - Black and white or colour?

The only black and white Garmin GPS unit on the market is the e-Trex 10.

Unless the only reason you are buying a GPS unit is to mark fixed points or geo-caching (and then I would still think about spending a little more for a colour screen one) I would steer away from a black and white screen GPS unit.

Black and white screen GPS are the most commonly miss sold GPS units because people solely buy on price.

People think they are getting a bargain and then realise later down the path they should have spent a little bit more and bought a colour screen unit.

The joy of a colour screen GPS that you can add affordable Ordnance Survey mapping to them, either at the time of purchase (the best option) or at a later stage.

The basic e-Trex Garmin range has buttons, also the GPSMAP64s (one of the top models) also has buttons, the rest of the Garmin GPS units are touchscreen. When we do our GPS training courses we give participants waypoints that they manually put into their units.

The people who have touch screen units are twice as quick. They easily input the data and off they go. The button driven units take a lot longer to input the data BUT the reason the Garmin GPSMAP64s has buttons (i.e. a high-end unit) is if you are into high level and winter walking and you wear gloves buttons are certainly worth looking at as touchscreen units can be hard if you wear gloves (i.e. you will need to take them off). If you are an average hillwalker I would stick with a touch screen GPS unit. We are all used to using smartphones these days, so if you are wanting that same experience I would very much look at getting a touchscreen GPS unit.

So unless you do lots of winter walking (and wear gloves) go for a touch screen. If you do lots of winter walking the best GPS for you is the Garmin GPSMAP64s

If you get a chance to buy maps at the same time as buying the unit (i.e. bundled in with unit) buy them. You will get them at a massively reduced price, but don’t be conned by small areas of mapping, if you are offered a bundle of maps I would expect full UK mapping at 1:50,000, don’t go for anything less.

These mapping cards that you get bundled with higher end GPS units normally retails for £200.00 but you get it bundled with new units for just £50.00 above the unit price. A big saving, but please note not all retailers sell bundled mapping, when I mean bundled I would get nothing less than full UK mapping at 1:50,000.

I must add that GPS Training have these bundled offers online or in our online shop, but many online retailers don’t (as Garmin likes to put them into ‘bricks and mortar retailers’).

Again this is one of the big mistakes people make. Buying their GPS cheaper elsewhere and not realising it does not come with mapping.

It is often a hard phone call to make when the customer rings up very proud that they have bought there GPS £50.00 cheaper elsewhere then they then find out they have to now spend another £200.00 on mapping (when they could have had this bundled in for the £50.00 they thought they had saved)

Some GPS units come with built-in electronic compasses. Why, and is it worth the extra money? As GPS units work from satellites with are thousands of miles above you when you rotate the unit through 90 degrees it does nothing.

Why should it, it has only moved 2 or three inches? Well as a walker if it is pointing in the wrong direction it makes a massive difference.

Therefore, they started putting in electronic compasses and it gets even better. With any new generation unit you don’t even need to keep them flat as they are what you call 3 axis compasses. Therefore, with a unit with a built-in electronic compass your Ordnance Survey map, on the screen, will automatically orient itself and your compass will be correct when you move your GPS unit around.

The units without electronic compasses do still have a compass BUT you have to be moving for these to work, as it needs to be processing location data from the satellites.

If you have the money – It may be worth looking at the Oregon 750. This is the same as the 700 but it comes with Garmin rechargeable batteries and a built-in camera. Worth the extra money if you can afford it. Look at this online here. You will not be disappointed.

Please call GPS Training to talk over the options

- GPS Training are open 5.5 days a week, so please do call to talk over the options we have. You can even trade in your old unit and upgrade to a newer model. Our telephone number is 01669 621044.

We can talk you through the options and answer any questions you have. Or please do call into our shop in Northumberland to see the GPS units in action.

We don't just sell you a GPS unit. In with the price we teach you how to use it (via a webinar) and our online training course (online resource), give you free facsheets and training manuals (in with your unit) and are only ever a telephone call away if you ever need any help.

Buy and Learn from the experts – GPS Training.

PLUS - Free Webinars - worth £39.98 - to get you to grips with your new Garmin GPS you get FREE places on our two Webinars - Getting started with your Garmin GPS and Getting to know BaseCamp.

PLUS - FREE set up of your GPS unit (including installing and checking mapping card and setting unit up for UK) before it leaves GPS Training. So you take it out of the box and can start using it straight away.

PLUS - FREE ongoing support from our GPS training experts.

PLUS - Part exchange available on this item.

PLUS - Buy any GPS online from us and pay just £3.95 delivery. All GPS units are kept in stock and is sent out Royal Mail Special Delivery, so it will be with you the next working day (if ordered before 16.00).

We are the largest independent retailer of GPS units in the UK, please do give us a call.

comments

Posted By: Chris Barnard | Fri 7th October 2016

Your review states The big change is now we have Profiles...However, profiles have been around for many years on Garmin Oregon 400, 500 and 600 series for just the same reason.The only difference is that switching profiles is different. - owner of Oregon 550t

Posted By: Simon Andrews | Fri 7th October 2016

Great overview of what is going on in the world of GPS units. Bought my GPS from you guys just a couple of weeks ago (Oregon 750) and the set up and support I have received from GPS Training has been second to none. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Posted By: Max Hulme | Fri 7th October 2016

Interesting read, its hard to find some good honest impartial advice. really like the video reviews and given me lots to think about. I will be in touch.

Posted By: Peter Harrison | Mon 21st November 2016

At last some honest impartial advice from somebody who seems to know something about GPS units for walkers.

Posted By: Dave Kay | Sun 15th January 2017

All the advice in this article is all very well but if you walk & ride all over Europe, summer & winter as I do buying all the map cards would require a mortgage.What happened to units that simply give you a coordinate readout that can be used with a proper map?

Posted By: Jon Monks | Sun 15th January 2017

Dave, tahnks for your question above. If you are looking for a 'basic GPS' tat will (as every GPS does) gives you a local location reference you can then see on your paper map I would look at the eTrex 20x, 30x and eTrex Touch 25 and 35. The other great things about these units is that they come with mapping for 44 European countries. Therefore either of these units sound ideal for your requirements.